Overview
- National pump prices, which climbed Wednesday to about €1.934 per liter for self-serve gasoline and €2.042 for diesel, reached their highest levels since October 2023 according to industry data.
- The government kept the fuel excise cut in force through May 10 and signaled an extension to May 22, while trimming the gasoline discount to roughly 5–6 cents per liter and leaving diesel near 20–25 cents including VAT.
- Analysts said the smaller gasoline discount that took effect May 2 translated into almost an 18‑cent jump at the pump over four days as stations adjusted.
- Pass-through remains slow because retailers first sell fuel bought under higher tax rates, and Italy’s fragmented, free-pricing network allows some operators to hold prices longer.
- Sector strain is growing, with taxi strikes Tuesday in Naples and Rome and rental-with-driver firms calling the aid insufficient and citing up to €3,000 in extra monthly fuel costs.